I filmed this one inside Expat Group’s new Bogotá office with Juliana Wilches—the team that handled my original visa four-and-a-half years ago and every renewal since. Quick disclosure: I’m not affiliated; I pay like everyone else. But when you find a crew that quietly gets approvals while the internet argues in the comments, you keep their number.
This conversation wasn’t “here’s a form, good luck.” It was the real stuff you ask me all the time: Do I need an FBI background check now? How long does this take? Can I buy a place and qualify for an investor visa? Does VA income count for retirement? What’s the smart timeline? Below is the playbook—clear, practical, and grounded in what’s actually happening at the visa window in 2024–2025.
The Big Shift You Need to Know (Background Checks & Apostilles)
Yes—Colombia is increasingly requiring a federal-level criminal background check.
For U.S. citizens, that means FBI, not a state sheriff’s letter.
For Canadians, it’s the RCMP (the long, fancy name you expect).
For others, it’s your national/federal authority.
Apostille & translation are non-negotiable.
Federal docs need a U.S. Department of State apostille (not a state apostille).
Then a Spanish translation by a certified translator.
Shelf life: background checks are treated as fresh for ~90 days. Don’t pull yours six months early “to be proactive” and then watch it expire the week you submit.
How long does FBI + apostille really take?
Typical paced flow Juliana shared from their pipeline:
FBI report: up to 72 hours (digital)
Apostille: 10–15 business days
Translation: 2–3 days
Total: ~15–22 days if prints are clean
If fingerprints are rejected and you must mail physical cards, expect longer (up to ~36 days)
Matt’s tip: If your case might need an FBI check, start it first. This single move is the difference between a painless approval and a 3-week scramble.
The Timeline That Actually Works
You’ll see blogs saying “you can do it in two weeks.” Maybe. But if you want a low-stress, high-approval process, use this cadence:
Start 2–3 months before you want your visa in hand.
Month 1: pull background check, order apostilles, collect civil docs, line up translations.
Month 2: your facilitator pre-reviews everything, fixes gaps, and submits.
Government review: most straightforward cases resolve in ~4 weeks once filed.
Complex cases (real-estate investment/company formation) need more runway.
Why not earlier than 3 months? Because documents “age out.” If something crosses that 90-day freshness window, the ministry can ask you to start over.
Visa Types in Plain English
1) Visitor (V) Visas (incl. Digital Nomad)
Great for working for foreign clients/employers while living in Colombia.
Usually up to 2 years at a time.
Clock does not count toward residency. Do two years on V, and you’re still at zero toward permanent residency/citizenship.
2) Migrant (M) Visas (the path to residency)
These do build time toward residency if you maintain them properly. Common M routes:
Marriage / Permanent Partner (tie to a Colombian spouse/partner)
Parent of a Colombian child
Retirement (Pensionado)
Investment (Real Estate/Business)
If your long-term plan is residency, you’ll eventually need to anchor to an M category—even if you start life in Colombia on a digital nomad visa.
Retirement (Pensionado) Visa: The Nuance That Trips People Up
The income has to be a lifetime pension.
U.S. Social Security qualifies.
VA benefits: possible, but stricter scrutiny and often more documentation—approval rates are better with SSA than VA alone.
Private pensions can qualify if they’re truly lifetime. If the letter says “until age 80,” a case officer can read that as not lifetime.
Health insurance is required.
You’ll need an active policy that covers you in Colombia (terms vary by category and renewal history).
Be aware: enrolling in Colombia’s public EPS as a foreign pensioner is not always straightforward; rules and enforcement vary. Plan on private coverage that satisfies the visa requirement.
Documents to prep:
Official pension letter (name, amount, lifetime language), apostilled & translated.
Background check + apostille + translation.
Health insurance proof (coverage in Colombia).
Investor (Property) Visa: Why Many Buyers Get Stuck
Buying a house is not the visa; documenting the investment is.
Minimum investment: approximately USD ~$125,000 (pegged to Colombian minimum wage; the exact peso amount shifts yearly and FX moves matter).
What the government actually checks:
Funds came in legally via a specialized foreign-investment channel/broker (not just your bank app).
You have the official investment registration certificate in Colombia’s system—this is the “proof you’re an investor,” not just a homeowner.
Title is properly registered in your name.
Common pitfalls:
Transferring purchase funds person-to-person without registering them as foreign investment → you own the home but can’t prove investment.
Missing the Banco de la República reporting piece (or equivalent) → no certificate → no investor visa.
Hiring a great closing lawyer who isn’t fluent in visa evidence. (It’s a thin line, but it matters.)
If investor visa is your goal, pick a provider who handles the transaction and the visa trail as one flow. Expat Group has a dedicated real-estate line that stitches the steps together so you end with keys + visa-grade paperwork.
Digital Nomad vs. Migrant: Pick Your Path On Purpose
DN (V) Visa: fastest to get, least paperwork, great to “try life here,” but no residency clock.
M Visas: more prep (pension, marriage/partner, investor, etc.), but they build toward residency.
A smart sequence I see work:
Land on a Digital Nomad visa to test neighborhoods, costs, climate.
Once you’re sure, convert to the right M category that aligns with your real life (marriage/partner, pensionado, or investment).
The Clean Paper Trail: Your Pre-Submission Checklist
Identity & Civil Docs
Passport (valid, blank pages)
Civil status docs (marriage/partnership/child if applicable) apostilled + translated
Background Check
FBI/RCMP/national report (no state-only for U.S.)
Apostille from correct authority (U.S. Dept. of State for FBI)
Certified Spanish translation
Category-Specific Evidence
Pensionado: official pension letter stating lifetime benefit + amount
Investor: proof of registered foreign investment, title, tax ID steps, etc.
Marriage/Partner: registration in Colombia or recognized and registered locally
Insurance
Valid health insurance that meets the visa category requirement
Logistics
Bank statements or proof of means if requested
Correct fee payments ready (category-dependent)
How Long Should You Expect End-to-End?
Document assembly: 3–6 weeks (the apostilles drive this)
Submission to decision: ~4 weeks for straightforward cases
Investment/company cases: plan longer (specialized review)
Rule of thumb: If you want your visa in January, begin October/November. It’s not about making it “slow”—it’s about avoiding redo requests that make it long.
Denials & “Inadmissions”: What Usually Causes Them
Stale documents (older than the accepted window)
Wrong apostille (state apostille on a federal document)
Missing translation or uncertified translator
Non-lifetime pension wording
Unregistered investment funds (purchase done “right,” but not “visa-right”)
If you’ve already been knocked back, don’t guess. Have a specialist audit the refusal note and rebuild the file so your second swing lands.
Quick Answers to Common Questions
Do I really need the FBI check for renewals?
It’s appearing more and more—even on renewals—especially after 2024. Assume yes unless your facilitator tells you your specific case is exempt right now.
Can I apostille a federal document at my state office?
No. Federal → U.S. Dept. of State. States apostille state-issued docs.
Can I use VA income for Pensionado?
Sometimes, with more documentation. SSA is smoother. If VA is your only income, get professional help to frame it correctly.
Can Digital Nomad time convert to residency time later?
No. V time doesn’t count. You’d switch into an M and start your residency clock then.
Why I Still Use a Firm (Even After Multiple Renewals)
I’ve done the solo, I-can-Google-this thing in other countries. Columbia’s rules are clear but exacting, and the execution details (apostilles, fresh dates, “which apostille authority,” “which investment certificate,” “which translation”) are where good applications quietly win.
Expat Group has passed my file between specialists over the years (one person for FBI, someone else for apostilles/translation, another for filing). That division of labor is exactly what calms my inner software-dev brain: the right person handling the right step at the right time. Three to four weeks later: “Approved.” My favorite email.